Winter Red Winterberry is a slow-growing upright deciduous shrub with a rounded habit and luscious dark green foliage. As a female cultivar, Winter Red produces heavy amounts of large glossy bright red berries if pollinated that can persist all the way to spring. Best planted in moist, slightly acidic well-drained soils. Hollies are dioecious and need both male and female plants to produce fruit.
Ilex verticillata is a native food source for several animals and pollinators, and acts as a host for various moths and the Henry's Elfin Butterfly. While the wildlife enjoys the berries they are toxic to humans.
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Type:
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Shrub
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Origins:
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Eastern N. America; north GA Native
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Height:
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6' - 8'
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Spread:
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6’ - 8'
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Spacing:
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7’
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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3 - 9
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Culture:
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Full Sun, Part Sun
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Bloom Color:
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White
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Season of Interest:
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Spring, Fall, Year-Round
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance. Water regularly. Well-drained soils essential. Potential issues include mites, scale, leaf spot, rot, and mildew. Susceptible to leaf scorch or drop if not protected from afternoon sun in hotter climates.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Privacy Screen, Foundation Plantings, Hedges, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Magnolia, Peony, Blueberry
IMAGES: Photo by David J. Stang, Ilex verticillata Winter Red 9zz, CC BY-SA 4.0
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown
